Sudan I is a red dye that is used for colouring solvents, oils, waxes, petrol, and shoe and floor polishes. It isn't allowed to be added to food in the UK and the rest of the EU but inadvertent contamination of some food products has been uncovered. According to the UK Food Standards Agency Sudan I can contribute to an increased risk of cancer but at the levels present in the current UK food scare the risk is likely to be very small. There is no risk of immediate ill health but it is sensible to avoid eating any more.
According to the Food Standards Agency both Sudan 1 and Para Red dyes are illegal under the 1995 Colours in Food Regulations 1995. Sudan I is considered to be a genotoxic carcinogen.
Para Red is chemically very similar to Sudan I. The Food Standards Agency's independent scientific experts have advised that although there is very limited data available it would be prudent to assume that it could be a genotoxic carcinogen.